I was telling a friend about some of the restaurants
and ethnic and specialty food shops we’ve discovered in St. Louis,
and she sniffed: “St. Louis is nothing compared to Chicago.”
“And Chicago is nothing compared to New
York,” I shot back. “Get over it!”
My chauvinist friend, a native Chicagoan, was correct
in one sense. Chicago is many times larger than St. Louis, and the sheer
volume of what it has to offer is proportionately bigger. My husband and I
love Chicago and go there as often as our schedules and budget allow, but
St. Louis is our big
(OK, medium-large) city. We can — and frequently do — leave
home in the late afternoon, arrive in time for a leisurely dinner followed
by live music at one of several venues, and get home for a full
night’s sleep in our own bed. St. Louis’ smaller size can
actually be an advantage. It’s possible to visit multiple locations
around the area in a few hours, something that’s virtually impossible
in the Windy City. And parking, always a major frustration in Chicago, is
rarely a problem. St. Louis also has an exceptionally vibrant food
scene for its size. It even has a monthly free newspaper, Sauce, devoted to all things
culinary. Neither Chicago nor New York, at least to my knowledge, has
anything similar. For many in central Illinois, St. Louis means Busch
Stadium, Laclede’s Landing, the Galleria, dinner on the Hill, and the
Muny. But off that beaten path are many other gems — culinary and
otherwise — just waiting to be explored. Here are three St. Louis food finds, the first in an
occasional series. All are ethnic shops on side streets off Kingshighway
south of Interstate 44, within minutes of one other. G&W Meat and Bavarian Style Sausage (4828 Parker Ave., 314-352-5066) is a bit hard to find, but
the effort is well worth it. G&W has a limited selection of fresh meat
(including, sometimes, hard-to-find dry-aged steaks). The real stars,
however, are the hams, bacon, cold cuts, and sausages made on the premises.
The Grant’s Farm bratwurst is the best I’ve ever had. G&W
will cut pepper bacon to the exact thickness you specify. If you like
liverwurst, don’t miss this shop’s smoked version. A paper-thin
slice of G&W Black Forest ham wrapped around a succulent sliver of
Beardstown melon elevates the tired old prosciutto-and-melon standby to a
whole new dimension. And don’t be surprised if the folks behind the
counter offer you a beer while you place your order — even if
it’s only 10 a.m.! La Tropicana (5001 Lindenwood
Ave., 314-353-7328) is a Latin American grocery store situated on a corner
in a quiet residential neighborhood. Since 1975 the market has been selling
a full range of Hispanic foods and even some food-prep items such as molcajetes (stone mortars
and pestles) and tamale steamers. The deli counter offers freshly made
Cuban and Mexican specialties, including excellent house-made chorizo and
tamales, for carryout. Ten years ago, the owners expanded to include a
café with tables in the deli area and seating on a charming covered
patio for warmer weather. Everything we’ve tried has been delicious,
including the tamales (also available to take home frozen) and a killer
classic Cuban sandwich. The live music on Saturday afternoons is a special
treat. Don’t expect fancy-dress mariachis belting out
“Guadalajara” — the band consists of three older Hispanic
gentlemen and one non-Hispanic middle-aged bass player, a kind of St. Louis
version of the Buena Vista Social Club. It’s very informal and lots
of fun. Manzo’s Kitchen (5348
Devonshire Ave., 314-481-5200 or 888-462-6967, manzoskitchen.com) is little
farther south. Manzo’s has been making sausage for more than 50
years, and in a city that takes pride in its Italian sausage (a.k.a.
salsiccia), Manzo’s may just be the best. Pete Manzo, the
owner/master sausage maker, prepares traditional salciccia but also likes
to experiment, so any trip to Manzo’s may bring new discoveries, such
as a garlic-and-rosemary sausage or a Tuscan version with sun-dried
tomatoes, Provolone, and pepperoncini. The always available
“extra-special” salsiccia is, well, extra-special with the
addition of tomatoes, Parmesan, and Marsala wine. Pete’s enthusiasm
(and that of his friendly staff) is infectious, and Pete is eager to share
his knowledge, not only about sausages but also about the rest of the store
items. In addition to Italian specialties, there’s a good selection
of Greek foodstuffs, including loukanika, thin coils of fresh sausage with a hint of orange peel.
It’s made from a recipe given to Pete by an elderly Greek customer
who wanted to ensure that the recipe wasn’t lost when she died. Try these places — I guarantee you’ll be
glad you did. If you have any St. Louis culinary discoveries you’d
like to share, I’d love to hear from you.
This article appears in Jul 6-12, 2006.
